The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-03
A CRAZY MANS FIGHT WITH PIRATES.

strange adventures bronzed old jack tar.
who was anchored alongside of me for couple
of hours the other day. and who answered to the
name of John Scott, gave NE the following
thrilling incident, which [ believe to be true IN
every detail:
1T was in the spring Of 1872" said Scott, as be
made ready, that ran away from the Ameri-
can bark Twin Sisters at Hong Kong. being
thoroughly dlsgusted with tho tyranny and
cruelty of the captain and mate. There was
Freuchman there who kept sort OF hiding-place
for runaways, and. although we were pretty
sharply looked after for few days, were not
discovered, and the bark went on up the coast.
We knocked about for few days without turn
ing anything, and then l shipped
aboard small brig which traded between
Hong Kong and the Philippini islands to
the east. She was called the Explorer. and her
captain and part owner was an Engllshman
named Garnsey. The mate was also an English
man. and of the six men Of US before the mast,
two were Americans, one Lascar, one a negro,
and the other two were Norwegians. We were
all runaways. and glad enough to get a job, and
when found captain and mate pretty
good fellows, and the brig tight and we'll found.
we turned to with a will. and showed a full
measure of gratitude. The cargo as / remem-
her it, made up of little of everything for
general trading. The brig had made three or
four voyages along the west side of the islands,
and this time, as we left Hong Kong behind US,
steered to the east. that we might 60 down
on that coast Of Luzon island. which is by all
odds the largest of the hundred or moro Islands
dottng the Pacific from opposite Hong Kong.
but 300 miles away, down to New Guinea and
Borneo
1--WE had the best of weather and a fast run
while going to the eastward nor did we meet
with a mishap of any sort until working down
the coast of Luzou. Then the winds were light
and battling for several successive days, and we
made but slow progress to repay US FOR our marc
work. The winds were still heading as when
the captain taken sick. Some sort of fever
seized him all of a sudden and it must have had
a stout hand to keep him down. for he was in
the prime of lIfe and strong man 1t was on
the third day of his illness, and the mate had
reported him no better, when. at ) O'Clock IN
the afternoon. we were about four miles OF
the coast of LOGON. and we'll toward its south
ern end, Junk put out from bay and sailed
on limo to intercept u.s. There was no port
there. and we were not flying trading signal,
and the mate had not taken more than a glance
at the junk through the glass. when he ex-
claimed:
."May be called a marine if that fellow isn't
up to mischief
81 was acting as mate at the time, and he
handed me the glass and asked me 70 go aloft
and take good s1uint at the junk. hadn't the
glass on him a minute before was satisfied that
| ne was a pirate. He had many as thirty men
| aboard, aud 1 thought could make out two how
| tiers on his deck. He had signal or flag fly
| ing, as would have been the case had he wanted
to speak salute us. There was but little wind,
| and we scarcely had steerageway. and the junk
| was also moving very slowly. Before descend
| ing to the deck looked around the horizon and
| down in the northeast noted indications Of a
| change of weather. My report on the junk Was
| eagerly awaited. and whom had finished it Mr..
| Reynolds said
.'Look you, Scott. that fellow is after US. and
| if he takes the brig, of US will be spared.
| Will the men ightl
why. sir, what have we to fight withp
Muskets-a dozen of 'em-and plenty OF
| ammunition. Here. men, come aft
ut needed only few words of explanation,
| for the men had made up their minds what sort
| Of customer was creeping upon our starboard
| bow. The muskets were brought up, and with
them five or SIX old cutiasses covered with rust,
| without the captain being the wiser for it. In
| deed, he was out of his head, and could not have
| been made to understand the situation anyhow.
When We had made such preparations as we
could, the junk had crept up to within three
! quarters of mile of u.s. and the mate called US
! around him and said:
".Now. men, we all know what that fellow is
! after If he gets possession of the brig, not one
of US will be spared. We are few in numbers,
but if we make stout fight perhaps We can
drive him off. At least might as we'll die
| fighting as to surrender, and have our threats
cut afterward.'
! He then went down and locked the door of
the captains state-room, SO that he could not
get out when the row began. and as he returned
on deck it was plain that the junk meant to lay
us aboard without stopping to use her cannon.
Whether she argued that were weak handed
and could be easily finished off. or that the
sound Of her guns might bring US help,
know not. but she made no prepare
\
within musket-shot when we lost wind en-
tirely. and as l looked astern. saw dark
cloud creeping up the horizon, and knew that
something more than capful of wind was get
ting ready for US. A streak of wind from of
shore brought the junk slowly along. while we
stood still. The mate whispered his ORDERS and
each of US took musket and advanced to the
| starboard rail. We had orders not to fire until
they were near enough to make every bullet
count. On their side could see from thirty
to thirty-fve haf-naked and villainous- looking
fellows with cutlssses in hand ready for board
| ing Not shout raised, loud word
uttered on either side. They floated down to us
silently death, and in grim despair we
awaited their coming They meant to lay us
aboard on the starboard bow. and had men ready
with grapplin grons. The junk was not more
than pistol-shot away when we fired our volley
and three of the pirates were toppled over; then
the others began to yell and brandsh their naked
blades but We had neither eyes nor ears fol
| them. Our mate was shouting:
Load. boys, and give it to them again, anG
| then stand by with the cutlasses.
"We got in another volley, killing two more
and wounding one or two. and then the junk
struck US, the grapnels were thrown, and with
frightful yells the pirates boarded We Gu
down the first two three but they dropped
over our rail so fast that we retreated off in
body, and presently the whole pack of then
were our decks A few had pistols, but the
majority had only Japanese cutlasses We raj
lied at the mainmast and for two or three min
utes there was hard fighting. during which one
OIL our mer WAS SlOC OcdO, ana aNOtQcr r6colV0(
bad wound from a cutlass We should have
been forced back or exterminated right there il
two three minutes more but for an unex
pected diversion. Our captain had been aroused
broken his way ont, and he suddenly appeared
behind US armed with large American bowl
knife, which knew he possessed Tn,
only garment he had on was his shirt. His hal
was end his eyes blazing fire, and there wa
no doubt of his being dead crazy. He uttered
terrific yell as he to our rescue. and he
forced his way past US and attacked the pirates
| singlahandad. saw him xiii two while yol
could ten and the vels he uttered
were alone enough to scare q man out o
his boots. The pirates raised cries of alarm AM
| retreated before him, and the way we cut 'em u
was awful. Such could get there got aboar
the junk as fast possible, and while two of u
were casting off the grapnels. our Captain brok
away from the mate and sprang aboard tine junk
just as strong puff of wind hit and separate
the two craft We had to stand by our sails
for the breeze had come at gallop; but We wer
not three hundred fest from the junk
which was broaching to, when there was a du
explosion, and the air filled with thousan
fragments of the piratcal craft A head and a
arm were blown aboard of US as also pieces
boards and timbers.
LAS soon We could get the brig under cor
troll We made couple of tacks to fetch the spe
of the explosion but the only vestige of her ia,
consisted of q few shattered planks and mas
There was no one to save and not corpse